Bengals' Coslet Is Named Jets' Head Coach

By GERALD ESKENAZI, Special to The New York Times

Published: February 7, 1990

HEMPSTEAD, L.I., Feb. 6—
The search for a new Jet head coach that began on the day after Christmas ended today with the arrival of Bruce Coslet, the architect of the Cincinnati Bengals' high-tech, unnerving no-huddle offense.

''We needed a guy to change the environment,'' said Dick Steinberg, the Jets' new general manager, who had dismissed Coach Joe Walton after seven seasons.

The 43-year-old Coslet, a onetime Bengal tight end who stands 6 feet 3 inches, had been the Bengals' offensive coordinator. One of his former mentors, Bill Walsh, today described Coslet's coaching as at ''the cutting edge of the game.''

That was one quality that impressed Steinberg. Beyond that, he was searching for a coach to bring a formidable personality to the sidelines as well as a disciplinarian to help change the atmosphere and reputation of a club that had sunk to a 4-12 record.

Battle at Quarterback

Coslet wasted no time showing a firm personality, saying Ken O'Brien and Tony Eason were starting out as equals for the quarterback job, which O'Brien has held since 1984.

''It depends on Ken O'Brien's shoulder and how fast Tony Eason can come in and compete,'' said Coslet.

''Right now,'' he added, ''we've got 37 players who are all even. We're going to be a tough, aggressive, physical team, and if you're not that, you won't play.''

Steinberg said he had decided over the weekend to hire Coslet, even if the San Francisco 49ers' offensive coordinator, Mike Holmgren, had not taken himself out of the running late Monday. Holmgren said he wanted to remain in San Francisco. But by then, said Steinberg, he had already made the deal with Coslet.

Light Touch

Coslet had already booked plane tickets to New York under the whimsical alias of Dan Rowan. At Indianapolis last week, Steinberg, to avoid phone calls, had checked into a hotel under the name of Dick Martin.

The club would not say how long the contract is for, but it is believed that Steinberg was prepared to offer the Michigan State coach, George Perles, at least a four-year deal and perhaps five years, starting at about $500,000 a year.

Perles never gave Steinberg the chance. At their meeting 15 days ago, Steinberg asked for assurances that Perles would be free to leave Michigan State. Perles left the room to make a phone call, and when he returned, told Steinberg he was shocked to discover the board of trustees might not release him from his contract. The next night the board voted Perles the additional post of Michigan State's athletic director.

That propelled Coslet to the favorite's role. He impressed Steinberg with his unhesitating responses and philosophy of handling players. Today, he repeated some of those thoughts:

* On the Jets' offense: He will not insist on making the personnel fit his theories, yet believes that any team can employ a no-huddle attack.

* On the defense: ''We're going to put on the field an attacking-style defense, and I've gone after the coaches that can do it. The day of the bend-but-don't-break philosophy is over.''

* On making his presence felt: ''If I can tell the Boomer Esiasons and Anthony Munozes of this world, I can get my point across.''

Diplomatically, but with apparent finality, he replied ''not at this time'' when asked whether he was interested in rehiring any of the Jets' dismissed coaches. One he couldn't hire even if he wanted to was Rich Kotite, Walton's offensive coordinator. Kotite agreed today to take the same job with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Coslet said he would probably act as his own offensive coordinator for at least the first year.

It has been quite a rise for Coslet, the longtime backup to Bob Trumpy in the 1970's. Coslet was a virtual walk-on with the Bengals in 1969, after a college career at the University of the Pacific.

Because he could never crack Cincinnati's starting lineup, he devoted his energy to special teams and eventually became their captain. In the off seasons, he had a construction business in northern California.

When his playing career ended in 1976, he became part-owner of a string of delicatessens.

He got his chance to get back in when Walsh hired him as a special-teams assistant on the 1980 49ers. After the season, Coslet met with Paul Brown, the Bengals' owner, who asked him if he wanted the job at Cincinnati.

Coslet recalled sitting in Brown's living room in La Jolla ''watching the whales'' and diagramming special teams' plays.

He got his chance to take over as the Bengals' offensive coordinator when Lindy Infante was dismissed because he was going to jump to the new United States Football League.

Productive Bengal Offense

''I assume he had quite a bit to do with the Bengals' offense,'' said Kyle Clifton, the Jets' linebacker, when he heard about Coslet's hiring. ''It seemed like every time we played them, they scored a ton of points.''

And not just against the Jets. In three of the last four seasons, the Bengals led the American Conference in total yardage. Twice over that span - coinciding with Coslet's elevation to offensive coordinator - they had the top-ranked offense in the entire league.

Including two interim coaches, Coslet becomes the 10th head coach in the Jets' history, which started in 1960. But it has been a stable, if not imposing, history since 1977, when Walt Michaels took over, to be replaced in 1983 by Walton.

photo: Bruce Coslet, the Jets' new head coach, at a news conference yesterday. (The New York Times/Barton Silverman)